1855 Atlantic hurricane season (Layten)
The 1855 Atlantic hurricane season was an extremely active and deadly period of the year that favoured the formation of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The season began on June 1, and ran until November 30, the time of year that delimits the time most Atlantic tropical cyclones develop in any given year. This season began with the discovery of Tropical Storm One on July 3, and ended with the last known position update on Hurricane Five on October 11. During the season, at least 1,339 people were killed, with the known damages totalling to $1.775 million. Storms Tropical Storm One The first tropical cyclone of the season formed in the northwestern Caribbean Sea before heading north towards the United States Gulf Coast, where it made landfall at peak intensity on July 5, before moving inland and to the northeast before dissipating the following day. Whilst active, the storm wrecked a ship off the coast of Cuba, resulting in 4 deaths, and at least $15,000 in damages as a result. Hurricane Two This hurricane was first observed as a moderate tropical storm, about midway between the Cape Verde Islands and the Lesser Antilles on August 23. The following day, the system became a hurricane, before peaking as a Category 2 on August 25 and weakening, before last being noted as it approached the Lesser Antilles on August 26. There are no known deaths or damages from this tropical cyclone. Hurricane Three This extremely deadly and destructive tropical cyclone was first noted as it formed to the north of the Cayman Islands on September 10. Over the next 2 days, the system moved slowly to the north whilst dropping devastating rains over parts of Cuba, the Florida Keys and Florida, before heading out into the Atlantic and intensifying into a hurricane. The hurricane then proceeded to make landfall in North Carolina, before weakening to a tropical storm and heading out into the Atlantic, where it was last noted on September 14. During the storms life, at least 1,300 people were confirmed dead, with damages of at least $1.2 million being reported, securing it as the most significant storm of the season. Hurricane Four The only major hurricane known this season, this storm was first noted as a strong Category 1 hurricane to the south of Hispaniola. As the hurricane moved to the west-northwest, it steadily intensified, and reached a peak intensity of 145 mph with a minimum central pressure of 936mbar on September 28, before making landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula with 130 mph winds. Quickly weakening as it traversed the peninsula, the hurricane emerged into the Bay of Campeche about 15 hours later as a minimal Category 1 hurricane, before gradually intensifying again. The hurricane made its final landfall in mainland Mexico with winds of 80 mph on September 13, before moving inland and weakening over the mountainous terrain of central Mexico. During its life, the hurricane was the result of 35 deaths, and $560,000 in damages. Hurricane Five The final known storm of the season, this system was first noted about 180 miles to the southwest of Bermuda as a strong tropical storm on October 9, before intensifying into a hurricane later that day as the system passed the island. As the hurricane moved quickly off towards the northeast, it attained a peak intensity of 105 mph, before weakening on October 11, being last noted as a strong tropical storm later that day about 90 miles south of Newfoundland. There were no known deaths or damages from this hurricane. Category:Hypothetical Events Category:Hypothetical Disasters Category:Hypothetical Hurricanes Category:Hurricanes Category:Atlantic hurricane seasons Category:Past Events Category:Past disasters Category:Past Hurricanes Category:Past Atlantic hurricane seasons Category:Past Hurricane Seasons Category:What Could Have Been Category:Events in the 1850s